Egg carton



Oct. 3, 1933. Q b E I Re. 18,965

EGG CARTON Original Filed May 22, 195i 2 SheetsSheet 1 4/ 3 I J gwwmtocCkaflmRDzgda/e C. R. DUGDALE Oct. 3, 1933.

EGG CARTON Original Filed May 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

gmnioz CZarleJfiDqyda/e Reissue'd Oct. 3, 1933 UNITED STATES} Re. 1s,9s5

PATENT; OFFICE 12 Claims. 22929) This invention relates to egg cartonsof the collapsible type which may be readily assembled and disassembledand folded for packaging.

. The main object of the invention is to provide a carton having a bodywhich can be stamped out of a single sheet of material and adapted to becombined with partitions in such manner that the assembled carton whencollapsed will fold and occupy substantially the same area as the bottomor top of the. assembled carton.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the detaileddescription thereof proceeds. A

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the carton with the parts thereof in assembledposition ready to receive eggs or other articles of similar shape;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a closed carton, part of the cover beingbroken away to show details of construction;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure. 5 is a perspective view of the carton in collapsed and foldedposition with the cover raised to show the arrangement of parts of thecarton body when folded;

Figure 6 is a plan illustrating in development the body of the carton asstamped out from a sheet of material, and

Figure 'l is an elevation of one of the transverse partitions of thecarton.

As shown in the drawings, the body 1 of the carton (see Figure 6) isstamped from a sheet of cardboard and comprises a central strip 2creased to form' the front wall 3, end walls 4 and 5 and a back wall 6having'a tab 7 at one end thereof adapted to form a'means for securingthe four walls 3, 4, 5 and 6 in assembled relationship. As

1 shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the walls of the carton when theyare assembled assume a rectangular form and the rear wall 6 is securedto the end wall 4 by means of an adhesive applied to the tab '1 which isthen stuck to the wall 4 in the usual manner.

A series of transverse partitions 8 extend between the front and rearwalls of the carton and are secured thereto by the tabs 9 and 10,respectively, the said tabs being bent at right angles to the plane ofthe partitions 8 and being suitably secured to the said front and rearwalls. As will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawings, the tabs 9 and 10are creased at their connection with partitions 8 so that they formhinges about which using the carton. The upper edge of the center ofeach partition 8 is provided with a slot 13 of sufficient width toaccommodate two plies of cardboard, and the opposite sides of the slot13 are cut oil at an angle in order to facilitate the insertion of thecentral walls 14 and 15 into assembled and locked relation in the saidslot 13.

The walls 14 and 15 are each provided with slots 16 through which thepartitions 8 are passed. These slots 16 are each of a width slightlygreater than the thickness of the partitions 8 so as to provideventilation for the articles placed within the carton and to permit theready assembly of the several parts thereof. It will be seen fromFigures 1 and 3 of the drawings, that the walls 14 and 15 readily formthe bottom of the carton. In the laying out of the parts of the cartonsthese walls 14 and 15 are made equal in width to the width w of thecarton itself in order that the carton when collapsed will occupy thesame area as that occupied by the carton assembled. The layout isclearly illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings which shows the cover 12as provided with creases 1'1 and 18 spaced apart so that the severalparts of the carton when folded will .occupy the same area as the cartondoes when between the upper edge 19 of the wall 15 and. the lower edge20 of the wall 6 isequal to the distance w between this edge 20 and thecrease 18, and it is also equal to the distance between the crease 18and the outer edge "21 of the flap 11. The distance between the upperedge 22 of the rear wall 6 and the crease 17 is also equal to the widthw of the carton when assembled. Of course, thewall 14 is exactly thesame in width and in all other respects to the wall 15.

It will be seen from Figure 6 of the drawings, that when the rear wall15 is folded about the lower edge 20 of the wall 6 its edge 19 willcoincide with the crease 18 on the cover and when the cover is bentaround the crease 18 over the wall 15 the edge 21 of the flap 11 will beeven with the edge 20 at the joint between walls 6 and 15.

'In securing the parts together it will be necessary to pass the crosspartitions 8 through the 110 slots 16 in the walls 14 and 15, and topaste or otherwise secure the tabs 9 and 10 to the front and rear wallsof the carton in properly spaced relation. It will be evident that thewalls 14 and 15 (see Figure 3) may be swung up into contact with thefront and rear walls 3 and 6 flat against the inside of 'these front andrear walls, and that when they are so swung up the front and rear wallsmay be collapsed about the tabs 9 and 10, as hinges, to bring the frontand rear walls together with the central walls 14 and 15 flat betweenthem. This arrangement is shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. In thisposition the wall 4 with a part 22 of the front wall 3 may be swungabout the crease 23 at thehinge of the second cross partition, from theleft of the Figure 1, into a position below the cover 12, in whichposition the cover 12 may be collapsed on the end wall 4, the foldedfront wall 3 and end wall 5 to completely cover the collapsed cartonbody, which will then occupy the same area as is shown occupied by theassembled carton of Figure 2 of the drawings.

Thecartons will be shipped in quantities in collapsed condition to theegg packaging plants to be assembled for use. In order to form thecarton so as to receive the eggs all that is necessary is to take afolded carton, as shown in Figure 5, raise the cover 12 thereof,straighten out the end wall 4 and the part 22 of the front wall 3 andthen swing the said front wall about the transverse partitions 8, ashinges, until the front and end walls of the carton assume a rectangularformation with the central walls 14 and 15 flat against the inside ofthe front and rear walls respectively. In this position the centralwalls are bent toward the center of the carton until the upper ends ofthe slots 16 contact with the bottoms of the slots 13, in which positionthe upper ends of the two walls 14 and 15 will be in alinement and thecurved portions between the partitions 8 form the bottom of the cellsadapted to receive eggs. The cover 12 can then be swung about the edge22 of the rear wall 6 and the flap 11 tucked in between the front wall 3and the front edges of the partitions 8 to form a completely closedcarton, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

I claim:

1. An egg cartoncomprising a single sheet of cardboard cut and creasedto form front, rear and end walls, a top integral with the rear wall,and a two part bottom, said bottom parts respectively integral with thefront and rear walls and extending up between said walls with their freeinner edges contacting to form a partition bisecting the cartonlengthwise, said bottom being provided with slots, and transversepartitions extending through said slots and having their opposite endssuitably secured to the inside of the front and rear walls 7 2. An eggcarton comprising a sheet of mate rial, cut and creased to form a top,side and end walls with a flap extending from the top edge of one sidewall to constitute a top with flaps associated with the bottom edges ofthe side walls and extending upwardly in the center 'of the carton withtheir opposite edges adjoining to form a partition oppositely curved incross section and bisecting the carton lengthwise, and transverse- Iwalls, with flaps integral with the front and rear walls to form acombined bottom and partition extending lengthwise of the carton betweenthe side walls thereof, said partition being slotted, and transversepartitions extending through the slots of the bottom and partition toopposite walls of said carton, the said central partition and bottomflaps being foldable against the inside faces of the front and rearwalls of the carton to permit collapse of the front and rear wallstoward each other, and to permit the folding of one end wall and part ofthe one front wall over the back wall.

4. An egg carton comprising a sheet of cardboard cut and creased to forma top, front, rear and end walls, with bottom forming flaps integralwith the frontand rear walls, each flap being of substantially the samewidth as the width of the carton and being curved so that its free edgemeets the free edge of theother flap and lies substantially flush withthe top edges of the walls of said carton and bisecting the cartonlengthwise, and transverse partitions extending between the said flapsand the front and rear walls of the carton.

5. A carton comprising a sheet of cardboard cut and creased to formfront, rear and end walls, having bottom forming flaps integral with thefront and rear walls, each flap being greater in width than one half thewidth of the carton and being bent to form a concave partition bisectingthe carton lengthwise with the free edges of the flaps in contact witheach other and flush with the upper edges of the carton.

6. A carton of sheet material having front and rear walls, flapsextending inwardly from said front and rear walls separately from eachother to form the bottom of the carton with the inner ends of said flapsturned upwardly adjacent each other to form a central lengthwisepartition therein, said flaps having slots therethrough and beingfoldable against the inside faces of saidv front and rear walls, andtransverse partitions extending through said slots and secured at theirends to said front and rear walls for folding movement from erectedposition to a position adjacent the inside faces of said front and rearwalls about fold lines lying in the planes of said partitions when inerected position, to permit collapse of said front and rear walls towardeach other.

7. A carton made of foldable sheet material and having front and rearwalls, flaps separate from each other extending inwardly from said frontand rear walls, respectively, to form the bottom of the carton with theinner ends of said fiaps turned upwardly adjacent each other to form asubstantially central lengthwise partition therein, said flaps having aseries of slots therethrough, and a series of transverse partitionsextending through said slots and permanently but foldably secured attheir ends to said front and rear walls for folding movement toward saidfront and rear walls about substantially vertical fold lines, said flapsbeing foldable-against the inside faces of said'front and rear walls topermit relative folding movement between said transverse partitions andsaid front and rear other.

8. A carton made of foldable sheet material and having front and rearwalls, flaps separate from each other extending inwardly from said frontand rear walls, respectively, to form the bottom of the carton with theinner ends of said flaps 7 turned upwardly adjacent each other to form asubstantially central lengthwise partition therein, said flaps havingslots therethrough terminated at a distance from the inner ends thereof,and transverse partitions secured at their ends to said front and rearwalls and extending through said slots for engagement with saidterminals thereof to support the said flaps, said flaps being foldableadjacent the inside faces of said front and rear walls to permitcollapse of said front and rear walls toward each other.

9. A carton made of foldable sheet material and having front and rearwalls, flaps separate'from each other extending inwardly from said frontand rear walls, respectively, to form the bottom of the carton with theinner ends of said flaps turned upwardly adjacent each other to form asubstantially central lengthwise partition therein, and transversepartitions-secured at their ends to said front and rear wallsysaid flapshaving slots therein through which said transverse partitions extend andof sufficient length to permit the folding of said flaps substantiallyadjacent the insidafaces of said front and rear walls and the collapsingof said front and rear walls toward each other.

10. A carton made of foldable sheet material and having front, rear andtop walls, flaps sepa rate from each other folded inwardly from saidfront and rear walls, respectively, to form the engagement with saidterminals thereof to support the said flaps, said flap slots being ofsufficient length to permit the folding of said flaps substantiallyadjacent the inside faces of said front and rear walls and relativefolding between the latter and said transverse partitions and thecollapsing of said front and rear walls toward each other.

11. A cellular carton of foldable sheet material for holding fragilearticles, comprising front and rear walls, flaps folded inwardly fromthe bottoms of said walls, respectively, to form the bottom of thecarton, with the inner free ends of said flaps turned upwardly adjacenteach other to form a substantially central, lengthwise partitiontherein, said flaps having slots therethrough terminated at a distancefrom the inner ends thereof, and transverse partitions foldably se-,cured at their ends to said front and rear walls and extending throughsaid flap slots and provided in their upper edges with slots forengagement with said terminals of said flap slots to support said flaps,said flap slots being of sufiicient length to permit said flaps to befolded upward- 1y adjacent the inside faces of said front and rear wallsand relative folding between the latter and said transverse partitionsso that said front and rear walls may be collapsed toward each other.12. A cellular carton of sheet material having front and rear walls,flaps separate from each other extending inwardly from said front andrear walls to form the bottom of the carton with the inner ends of saidflaps turned upwardly adjacent each other to form a central lengthwisepartition therein, said flaps having slots therethrough 5 and beingfoldable adjacent the inside faces of said front and rear walls, andtransverse partitions extending through said slots and secured at theirends to said front and rear walls for folding movement from erectedposition to a position in which said partitions lie adjacent said flapsin said folded position of said flaps adjacent the inside faces of saidfront and rear walls.

